The Badgers relied greatly on defense and special teams in a 13-10 victory over Washington Nov. 8. It's a formula that could serve Wisconsin well.

After his team's unlikely 13-10 upset win over 23rd-ranked Washington, Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell spoke to the media about his job.

Washington blocked a Wisconsin punt and took over on the 1-yard line. The Huskies cashed in just two plays later with a Demond Williams touchdown pass to Denzel Boston. The sequence continues what has become a disastrous season for Wisconsin's special teams.

Watch Wisconsin football fans storm Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday after the Badgers snapped their six-game losing skid with a win over Washington:

If Wisconsin makes a change at the end of the 2026 season, Fickell’s buyout will drop to around $13.6 million. But if it doesn’t turn around, the Badgers could be digging a hole into a crater from which it will take years to recover.

The former Bishop Verot quarterback replaced an injured Danny O'Neill in the Badgers' game against Washington on Nov. 8.

What a week for Wisconsin football. First, athletics director Chris McIntosh announced on Thursday, Nov. 6 that coach Luke Fickell will be coming back in 2026, to the dismay of many Badgers fans.

When Wisconsin took the field against the Oregon Ducks, it was missing eight of its 22 players, who it considered Week 1 starters. Earlier this week, Fickell confirmed that two of those injured players, running back Dilin Jones and center Jake Renfro, underwent season-ending surgery.